PARIS (AP) - French police recently arrested a man who is believed to be the fourth member of the gang that stole France’s crown jewels from the Louvre Museum. According to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, this arrest means the entire group involved in the brazen heist is now believed to be apprehended. The 39-year-old suspect has a criminal history with six prior convictions, including one for receiving stolen goods, for which he received a two-month suspended sentence in 2010.
The suspect has been charged with robbery by an organized gang, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, as well as criminal conspiracy, which could result in a 10-year sentence if convicted for his supposed role in the robbery that took place on October 19 at the world’s most-visited museum. The stolen items are estimated to be worth 88 million euros (approximately $102 million), a value that does not account for their immense historical significance to France.
Details regarding the suspect's specific involvement in the daylight theft were not disclosed in the prosecutor's statement. The heist involved robbers using angle grinders and a freight lift, disguised as construction workers in bright vests. Three other suspects were detained earlier in October and have since faced preliminary charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy. DNA evidence linked to the robbery was collected at the crime scene.
A woman was also arrested during this investigation. She has been charged with complicity in theft and criminal conspiracy. Identified as the partner of one of the alleged robbers, the couple reportedly lives in the northern suburbs of Paris, where other suspects reside. The woman has denied any wrongdoing through her legal representative.
The stolen loot remains unrecovered. Among the jewels taken were a diamond-and-emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise, as well as historical jewels associated with 19th-century Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara. The heist has raised serious concerns about security at the Louvre Museum, prompting its director to acknowledge a "terrible failure" in security measures and pledge to install new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems.
Reports suggest that the robbery was executed within a short time frame, with thieves taking less than eight minutes to forcibly enter the museum and escape using a freight lift to access a window. Surveillance footage revealed that the burglars employed grinders to break into display cases within the Apollo Gallery where the jewels were housed.
Interestingly, the imperial crown of Napoleon III's wife, which contains more than 1,300 diamonds and was part of the stolen items, was discovered outside the museum after the crime was committed. This incident reflects ongoing fears regarding the security practices at one of the world’s most significant cultural institutions.
